Farewell To The Family

Standing on the rugged ground of a desolate mountain peak, Alvin surveyed his surroundings. The cliffs formed a 'C'-shaped embrace around the seawater of Big Wave Bay on the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island. The air was thick with moisture, the scent of salt and earth mingling in the cool breeze.

After Vanessa used her power, they had arrived in this isolated place, devoid of life except for the three of them.

Behind him, towering rock faces stood, slick with moss, their surfaces kissed by mist. Tall trees stretched in all directions, their branches swaying in the damp wind. The ground beneath their feet was treacherous—muddy, damp, and unstable. Rain drizzled from the overcast sky, cold against Alvin's skin.

Squelch.

With each step forward, their feet sank slightly, the wet earth clinging to their soles. Though the scenery was nothing short of breathtaking, Alvin barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere, lost in the dark abyss of his thoughts.

Seeing his vacant expression, Elara turned to him and said, "You needed to release the frustration and anger, which is why I didn't stop you before."

Alvin halted mid-step, his gaze settling on her.

"But," she continued, her voice calm yet resolute, "I did my best to prevent you from doing something you might regret."

Under Alvin and Vanessa's watchful eyes, Elara lifted a small storage pouch into the air, suspending it with her power.

The thread at its opening unraveled like a living thing, slithering apart to reveal a deep, endless darkness within.

A sharp whoosh echoed as charred bodies began to pour out of the pouch, descending slowly to the ground.

Alvin's breath hitched. His eyes widened in disbelief.

The emptiness in his gaze wavered—just slightly. The worst had not happened. Relief flickered in his chest, gratitude swelling within him as he turned to look at Elara.

"T-thank you." His voice was thick, barely more than a whisper. He swallowed hard, struggling to contain the emotions threatening to spill over.

A cold breeze swept through, sending tendrils of his long hair fluttering. Silent tears slid down his face as he knelt beside the bodies of those he had lost.

For a long time, none of them spoke.

Finally, Elara broke the silence. "What do you plan to do with... them?" she asked hesitantly.

Alvin did not immediately respond. It had been nearly half an hour since he had moved.

At last, he exhaled deeply. "Can you send everyone back—except for Matsuoka and the old man?"

Following his gaze, Elara understood. These two... she could tell that he treated them like family, as if they were his own, and the way he lost control of his emotions and power proved that.

"They have families," Alvin continued, his voice quiet but firm. "They deserve a proper farewell."

Elara turned to Vanessa and gave her a slight nod. Without a word, the maid stepped forward, gathering the bodies into the same storage pouch before vanishing from sight.

Alvin looked up at Elara, his expression unreadable, but his eyes betrayed the storm within. "I have a favor to ask."

Elara met his gaze steadily. "Speak. If it's within my power, I will provide any help I can."

A ghost of a smile flickered across Alvin's lips—one of sorrow rather than mirth. "I want to hold a funeral for them."

His voice faltered.

"Rin..." He swallowed hard. "I... I can't do the same for her. But for them, at least..."

Elara showed no hesitation in her response. "Tell me what you need. I will help."

Upon returning to Big Wave Bay, Vanessa was met with an unusual sight.

Elara stood before the two bodies, deep in thought. Alone.

"Miss?" Vanessa's voice held a note of confusion.

Before Elara could respond, a sound caught their attention—

Crunch. Drag. Crunch.

Alvin emerged from the dense grove, dragging a twenty-meter-tall Chinese camphor tree over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing.

Its branches scraped against the mud as he pulled it toward the open clearing, where several other logs of similar size lay waiting.

Vanessa said nothing, merely observing.

Alvin dropped the tree with a heavy thud. Without any emotion on his face—

Bang.

His fist struck the center of the trunk.

A dull, muffled crack.

The tree split cleanly in two.

He repeated the action over and over again, dividing the wooden logs into smaller sections. Then, he bent down to pick up one of the logs—

But before his fingers could touch them, they lifted into the air on their own.

Alvin froze, momentarily caught off guard.

But his shock merely lasted for a split second before he turned his head sideways.

Elara stood a few feet away, her finger slightly raised upwards, a soft smile etched on her lips.

Beside her, the bodies of Matsuoka and the old man floated gently, untouched by the mud. Vanessa stood at her side, silent.

Alvin gave a grateful nod and stepped back, allowing Elara to take control.

The logs hovered for a moment, suspended in midair, before descending, arranging themselves into a precise, orderly pyre.

Finally, Matsuoka and the old man, still locked in their protective embrace, were laid upon the wooden bed. Neither Alvin nor Elara made any efforts to separate them.

The waves crashed in the distance. The wind carried the scent of salt and decay.

Once everything was ready—

Alvin performed the ceremony.

He bid his final farewell...

To the ones who had made him who he was.

To the ones who had been his strength when he had none.

To the ones who had saved him—when all he had wanted was to die.

Vanessa whispered a spell. Her voice was swallowed by the wind, lost beneath the cries of the ocean.

Whoosh.

The pyre blazed. Flames curled toward the sky, dancing in the night, as if waving goodbye.

Alvin shed no more tears, but the ache in his chest did not fade.

He stood, unmoving, watching as the fire devoured what was left of his past.

Then, "Namu Amida Butsu." A faint whisper escaped his lips, barely heard over the roaring waves. Yet, for a moment, he could almost hear another voice whispering alongside him.

An aged voice.

A voice that had once guided him.

A voice that, even in death, gave him the strength to face what's to come.